Freedom
by Miss Nostalgia
Summary: The Doctor trusts his gut feeling and stops before it's too late. Temporarily titled Freedom. Explores the life Babydoll could have had, and possibly have with the Doctor. Vignettes of their past are also explored. Might be rated M in the future.
1. The Look In Her Eyes

Author's Notes/Rant:

Yeah, so I know that this movie was years ago, but, I just found out about the deleted scene between High Roller and Babydoll yesterday. I was shocked, and of course agree with what everyone had been saying for the past 6 years that they should have included that scene in the movie for everyone (including the critics) to understand the real message of Babydoll's actions. Anyway, I totally ship High Roller/Doctor and Babydoll. I've come across a fanfic where they had a happy ending, and I want to have a try at a different kind of story with them in it. So here it goes, and even if it's like 6 years later I do hope someone still reads Sucker Punch fanfics. Please drop a review/comment if you can!

For the story's purpose, I will rename The Doctor and Babydoll. Hence, The Doctor will be named Dr. Edward L. Mulligan, aged 35 years old and Babydoll's real name will be Evelyn Samantha C. Bennett, aged 18 years old.

 _Lennox House for the Mentally Insane_

Dr. Edward L. Mulligan entered the premises with an impassive expression. Even if he was a doctor, a surgeon at that, he did not like entering places like this. Places where every man's nightmare resides. He had his own demons, but, that was not the issue at the moment. He already got used to seeing mental institutions that house numerous patients that were in truth insane and 'deemed' to be insane by their family or the government because they did not want to deal with them anymore or simply did not have the resources to take care of them. Dr. Mulligan already received a letter of request for his services two weeks before. The letter stated that four patients were found to be qualified Lobotomy, as found out by the Lennox House's resident psychologist, Dr. Vera Gorski, and requested for a surgeon to be sent to Lennox House for the procedure. It was supposed to be Dr. Parsons who was here right now, but due to his wife's recent delivery, the hospital sent him instead.

He did not pay much attention to his surroundings, rather, walked right to the information desk and asked for Dr. Gorski's office. After their introductions, Dr. Gorski brought Dr. Mulligan to the operating room where the first patient scheduled to be lobotomized was already strapped to the operating table. As soon as the patient was sedated, Dr. Mulligan proceeded to the sink to properly wash his hands, and as he dried them off, proceeded to take hold of his instruments. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he let out a small sigh, as he began the procedure.

 _Babydoll's Fantasy_

It was never about her. It was always about Sweet Pea. Babydoll was just a pawn in their game, and a saviour to Sweet Pea. But, she had no regrets. None at all. At least she was able to save an innocent soul from the burning pits of hell, even if it was in exchange for her own. She shot Sweet Pea one last look, before taking slow, nervous strides towards their enemies. Her last thoughts were of her beloved sister and their beautiful mother before the darkness took over.

Babydoll awoke with a slight jolt as she felt what little of the garments she wore being removed. She no longer wanted to resist. She was tired. She just wanted to get everything over with. She would gladly accept death; welcome it with open arms even, just so she could escape this hell of an existence. Even if she found a man who she assumed to be no other than The High Roller, she made no motion to show her hostility. She simply brought her knees to her chest, to cover up what she could, what little dignity was left of her, and listened to what he had to say.

 _Operating Room_

 _Lenox House for the Mentally Insane_

Only a little more time and he would be done. Dr. Mulligan was very tired, both physically and mentally. He just wanted to drown in whisky or vodka. Just as he was about to finally leave, a nurse came up to him and showed him another patient's chart. _Evelyn Samantha C. Bennett, 18 years old. Accidentally shot her sister in the head. Depressed since the start of her mother's illness. Became mentally unstable days after the funeral. Exhibited fits of rage and verbal abuse towards her stepfather and sister. Stole various items from the institution. Helped another patient escape..._ The usual symptoms that he encountered numerous times. "And just recently, stabbed one of our orderlies, Blue. Good thing he isn't dead," the nurse supplied him. He wanted to refuse, and say to the nurse that he had other commitments, but the nurse shot him a desperate look, so he just relented. As they walked back to the operating room, he scanned the patient's chart. She looked as sweet as her name, he thought, and at the same time he pitied the circumstances that she was in. Before anything else, he made sure that all the consent forms were properly signed. Seeing as everything was in order, he prepared equipment and washed his hands when he felt that something was off.

He could not point it out exactly, but something was wrong. There was that nagging feeling at the back of his mind that wouldn't go away. _I must be just very tired to be feeling this weird_ , he thought to himself. He composed himself before going out. Seeing that the patient was already strapped to the bed, he immediately stopped the nurse from sedating the patient when he saw her expression. It was a very weird look. In all the years of his medical practice, his career as a surgeon, never had he seen a patient give him an expression like that.

Like she had wanted him to do it.

 _Babydoll's Fantasy_

The High Roller was supposed to make her feel afraid and intimidate her. But, the way he brought himself, the way he spoke, and the things he said made her feel otherwise. He made her feel that she was still a human being. That she wasn't just Babydoll. That she was still a girl of 18, and a girl whose real name was Evelyn. A girl who still had the right to be treated with respect and love. The High Roller showed her respect and kindness. Whether it was to ease her anxiety or not, she found solace in his words. There was always that part of her who yearned for love from her stepfather, but instead he was cruel to them. She only knew what love was from her parents and sister. But all of them were long dead, buried six feet beneath the ground and miles and miles away from her. A thought suddenly came up to her. She had a crush on a boy once, but was too shy to say anything to him. What a silly thought, and too unfitting for a time like this. Then she realized, that deep down, she just wanted to be loved. She just wanted to be desired.

Babydoll did not withdraw from the High Roller's advances. The faintest scent of tobacco still lingered around him, and a masculine perfume that was all too comforting. She removed his tie, and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, all the while looking at him in the eye, never breaking contact. She let out small moans as he caressed her sides, the gentle touch of his rough hands surprising her. He continued to whisper things and promises about freedom. _The freedom to_ _love_ , she thought. She just wanted to be loved.

And then, they finally closed the gap between them.

 _Operating Room_

 _Lennox House for the Mentally Insane_

"Don't! Don't sedate her! Call Dr. Gorski right now!" Dr. Mulligan barked at the male nurse who was about to sedate Babydoll. She had such a serene yet haunting expression. Her eyes perfectly conveyed the message that she was allowing him to do whatever he had to do to her. She had resigned to the fate she was about to receive.

Dr. Mulligan heard hurried steps outside and in came Dr. Vera Gorski, looking slightly dishevelled. "What's wrong, Dr. Mulligan?" she asked him, confusion setting in.

"I know this sounds crazy but, something is not right with this patient. It's the way she looked at me. It was as if she wanted me to do it, go ahead with the procedure. In all my years of being a surgeon, I have never encountered a situation like this. If she is truly insane, she couldn't have given me that kind of expression. Not with all the symptoms written on her chart," Dr. Mulligan explained. Again, he saw confusion in Dr. Gorski's eyes. The woman could only reiterate what the chart had already told him.

"So, why did you authorize this?" He asked her. An even greater cloud of confusion and nervousness manifested itself in Dr. Gorski's eyes.

"What do you mean? No, I- I absolutely did not! I have never approved of this method anyway from the moment of its conception. How-? How could he. Blue! It was that damn orderly. He forged my signature!" Dr. Gorski concluded as she snatched the chart away from Dr. Mulligan's hands and looked frantically for her alleged signature. She immediately called for the guards to seize Blue. She apologized profusely to Dr. Mulligan, and went to the Director's office to report the incident, leaving the bewildered Edward behind, his heart still racing and beads of sweat cascading down the sides of his face. He almost committed the biggest mistake of his life.

Dr. Mulligan removed the straps from Evelyn. She only stared at him in confusion, and gave a perplexed expression.

"Why didn't you...?" she asked him, her voice hoarse, as if she hadn't used it in a long time. Edward gave her a sad but relieved smile.

"Sweetie, you're... You weren't supposed to be operated on. There was a mistake," he started. He couldn't continue. For some odd reason, this girl had a weird effect on him. As much as the whole situation had shaken him, he felt some sort of connection with Ms. Bennett. He couldn't trust his voice. He just wrapped his arms around her, as she finally broke down and sobbed into his arms.

"Sshh... You're safe now. Dr. Gorski and I... We're going to do everything we can to find out the truth and help you." Edward promised her, holding on to her as if she was going to disappear the moment he lets go.

Evelyn stilled in his embrace. Gone was the girl who had given him permission to erase who she was, her entire existence. The girl before him wasn't Babydoll. She was a girl named Evelyn. Somewhere in his heart was a sliver of hope.

Author's Notes: I know, it looks similar to other stories but I'll do my best to make this different. I hope you read and review. Criticisms are welcome.


	2. Before the Storm

A/N: I don't own Sucker Punch. If I did, the procedure wouldn't have been carried out obviously!

Evelyn Samantha Carter Bennett was affectionately called Evie by her parents and younger sister. Her father, head of the Bennett household and also owner of the largest plantation in Vermont, died under mysterious circumstances. He had no known medical condition. He smoked, but not that much. He wasn't a heavy drinker either. He suddenly collapsed while in an important meeting with other landowners. The doctors said it was a heart attack, at least that's what Evelyn had remembered. She was only twelve years old then. Her younger sister, Jackie, was only six when that tragedy occurred. It broke their mother's heart, and she mourned him unhealthily, getting drunk on most nights.

Things went for a better turn two years after their father's death, when Evelyn was fourteen years old. Their mother still drank alcohol, but not to the point of getting drunk. She still had that distant look in her eyes when she passes by a photograph of Evelyn's father, but at least she was a whole lot more functional than she was when the memory of his death was still very fresh in their minds. Since the patriarch was no longer there, Evelyn's mother, Charlene, took over the management of the plantation. It was the 1960s, and you seldom hear of owners who were women. Their town had its fill of sexist men. This was the reason why Evelyn's mother was pressured by the other landowners to look for a new husband so she could properly handle the plantation. They always did believe that a man's capacity run businesses were always effective than a woman's. Charlene relented, and eventually married one of her husband's old friends. Charlene wed Randy J. Simmons, a practising lawyer known for his many wins in the court of justice, much to her own and as well as her daughters' dismay. Evelyn knew that their mother loved their father deeply, and that she'd never replace him in her heart. Evelyn was 16 and Jackie just turned 10.

During the first few months of their marriage, Randy seemed to be the perfect husband and most doting father to Evelyn and Jackie. Unbeknownst to him, Charlene started to prepare her last will, should anything quite similar to her husband's untimely death also happen to her. Life was cruel anyway, and she would do everything she could to protect her husband's legacy and their daughters. A year into the marriage, Charlene got frequently sick. Evelyn always insisted that they pay a visit to the doctor, but Randy would dismiss her and asked for a doctor he claimed that he knew all his life, to come visit Charlene instead. Nearing two years into their marriage, Charlene Carter Bennett died of a heart attack in her sleep. There wasn't much they could do, the family doctor. He added that they had seen it coming, as the disease only progressed due to Charlene's refusal to get proper treatment, stating that the plantation had to be tended to primarily.

That was all a lie of course. Evelyn realized all of it a little too late.

Not a week after their mother's death, Evelyn saw the real demon that was Randy. There was no father or mother to protect them now. Jackie could only rely on Evelyn for protection. So it was Evelyn who got most of the hits and blows from Randy. All the dirty looks, she received the end of it. She did her best to protect her sister. A day before her 18th birthday, Evelyn saw from outside the window their family lawyer. Randy was all smiles and greetings as he led the way. It turned sour of course during that night when in a fit of rage after finding out that none of the Bennett properties would be bequeathed to him and that the sisters were the sole heirs to everything the Bennetts owned, he killed Jackie and had Evelyn locked up at Lennox House for the Mentally Insane, claiming that overwhelming depression drove her insane and resulted in her killing her sister and almost killing Randy as well.

All of it was a lie. But Evelyn had no one to turn to. She just wanted to die. Die like her parents did. Die like Jackie had just a few hours ago. She felt so helpless. That was until she saw the other patients of Lennox. If she could not accept this reality, she would just have to retreat to the depths of her mind, until she thought of a plan. A plan to hopefully get all of them five girls out of that hellhole.

But her plan failed. Blue came back for her. Everything went downhill again –

"Jackie!"

Her cheeks had been wet with tears. She had relived hell through her dreams again. She heard frantic footsteps ascending and in came one of the elder maids.

"Miss! What happened? Are you alright?" Sarah, an elderly maid that Evelyn had employed, asked in a worried tone and began to inspect for any injuries.

"No... I- I just had a bad dream. I'm sorry to have woken you up," Evelyn explained. She assured the maid that she was alright, and that she should go back to bed. Sarah retreated and bade her a good night once again. Evelyn tried to go back to sleep, but her thoughts kept going back to the events that had happened three months ago. Three months ago when she was on the brink of insanity, and in full acceptance of the fate that her existence as Evelyn Bennett was to be erased in this world. She shook her head, and let out a long sigh as she pulled back the covers and closed her eyes once more.

The feel of another person's lips pressed onto hers was what woke her the next day. Evelyn touched her lips. It had felt so real. She remembered now. The High Roller had kissed her sweetly as she moaned into his mouth out of pleasure, just moments before Dr. Mulligan pulled her back to reality. A small smile graced her lips as she stared out the window, into the streaming sunlight that had entered the room.

Blue was charged for the murders of the two women who were with Evelyn. Everyone, except for Dr. Gorski, were either fired from their posts or replaced. Dr. Gorski had proven her innocence, and even if Evelyn couldn't attest to that, she was sure that Gorski had meant no harm to the patients. Since she was already of age, Evelyn was the sole heir of all the Bennett properties. She was not yet physically and emotionally ready to handle her finances and properties, so she had tasked her new layer to make the arrangements for her. She just wanted to heal herself first. Yes, she had wanted everything that was her to be wiped out. But, Dr. Mulligan proved her otherwise. There was that that spark of hope in his green eyes that had given her hope as well when she was already set on giving up.

Dr. Mulligan. The man looked slightly unkempt, dishevelled even. But she was drawn to him, just as she was drawn to the High Roller. She felt like they were kindred souls, waiting to be found by each other as they were still bound to their own demons, haunted by their tragic pasts.

 _Woolbrook Institute of Medicine and Surgery_

"Are you sure about this Ed?" Dr. Parsons asked Edward as the latter handed his resignation letter. Eric Parsons was already fifty-five years old, but they were very good friends and he was Edward's only trusted colleague in the institution.

"Yes, Eric. I've been wanting to for some time now. I might have just been waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Now that it did – it had, I'm quite positive of my decision. I won't have any regrets." Edward said with finality in his tone. All the years of being a neurosurgeon, one of the best, had taken its toll on him. He never did like the practise of Lobotomy, but it was the treatment of choice for mental disorders that were deemed to be hopeless. It was found to be THE solution for the criminally insane, and unstable patients who were a threat to themselves, other patients and the healthcare workers. It was the temporary answer to the lack of effective psychiatric drugs.

"I understand. And I know that, even after all these years, you still blame yourself, but - ,"

"No," Edward said firmly, his grip on the chair tightening. "I – That's not the issue here. I just want change. And I don't think I can achieve that change if I stay here. If I stay in this profession," he reasoned out. The crease in his brow was more prominent now, as he tried to push the thoughts away. He did not want to remember it.

"Okay. But we'll still go fishing when I'm not busy with surgeries. Okay?" Eric finally relented. Edward let out a sigh of relief, and shook hands with the man as he gave Eric a tight hug and left the office.

Three months ago, his decision might have been the same, but there was no catalyst. The connection he felt upon seeing Evelyn Bennett. He had seen a lot of tortured souls. Evelyn was not any different from the others, as he too saw the torment and sorrow in her eyes that day. But, it was that look that perplexed him. She looked at him with trust and permission. No insane person would give that kind of look. Edward had not seen her since, not after that day when he promised her the things he had, but that didn't mean that he had not kept up with the news. He still kept in touch with Dr. Gorski, wanting to make sure that she was in good hands when it came to her therapy. He knew of her progress, and that she was safe now. He had just hoped that maybe their paths would cross again someday.


	3. Letting It All Out

Author's Notes: I do not own Sucker Punch. So sorry for the late update, had so many things going in with my life. This is really just a filler update, but thanks for waiting and reading again.

"Suffering from post traumatic stress disorder is a great deal even for adults my age, Evelyn. But you have made wonderful progress," A delighted Dr. Gorski had told Evelyn one afternoon during their session. Evelyn had noticed that the older woman in front of her had changed as well. She had cut her hair shorter, and gone was the nervous and unsure tinge in her voice. She also exhibited a lighter aura than she did a few months back. Dr. Gorski may have had looked older due to the stress they all experienced all those months ago, but at least she was visibly happier now.

After their session ended, Evelyn decided to visit the cemetery. She knew how to drive now and bought her own car so that she had something to use for transportation whenever she had the sudden impulse to go away and just be by herself. This would mark the first time that she would be able to visit Jackie's grave. She didn't have the strength to do so a few months earlier after the whole ordeal. When she got to the cemetery, she immediately asked where her sister's grave was located. She was upset to see that Jackie had been laid to rest with just a simple and cheap-looking tombstone that had only marked her name, date of birth and death. She made a mental note to talk to the staff if she could arrange for her sister and parents to be re-buried in one place.

 _That sick bastard_ , she thought to herself angrily. Right then from the beginning, she felt that Randy was just trouble. What she had not determined was the gravity of the cruelty he had projected upon them. What sickened and angered her more was when it was found out from further investigations that he was the one who plotted the murders of her parents. It was his plan all along to take everything away from them. She had since then vowed that she would always be vigilant with everything and everyone. She promised herself, Jackie and her parents, that she would be stronger. She won't be abused for the second time.

"I miss all of you," Evelyn said, tears streaming down her cheeks. How fitting it was that it had already started raining as well. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough for Jackie, mom and dad. I should have been strong enough to stop him, but I was weak. I'm so, so sorry. I hope you could forgive me," she continued on. She cried as the rain poured harder. This was better than hiding in a closet at her house, or hiding from the maids and trying her best to hide the pain. She just let it all out.

 _Woolbrook Institute of Medicine and Surgery_

"That's the last of the boxes," Edward said to the men as he directed them to a couple of boxes on the floor. His office was now nearly devoid of his things, save for the chair and table. He loved medicine, but the past haunting him and catching up just made the practice more difficult since it greatly affected his own judgments as a medical doctor.

'No. It's not healthy to cling on to that memory.' Edward thought to himself. He blocked his thoughts, afraid that he'd be a mess again before he could even leave the office. He took one last look before closing the door for the last time.

As he drove home, he couldn't help but remember Evelyn. _Babydoll_ , he remembered Gorski telling him, with which he assumed was her nickname. It suited her perfectly, because she was like a porcelain doll, far too valuable to be just about anywhere and far too fragile for careless hands to handle. He had seen a lot of tortured souls in various asylums that he had visited to perform lobotomy on patients. It was not his first time at Lennox House, as during the early days of the procedure's conception, he accompanied a senior doctor there one time to observe the procedure. He didn't want this kind of help for those suffering from mental illnesses, but at the time and currently, there have been no effective drugs for the depraved mind. He could only hope and pray that new and humane methods and medications would be developed soon, so that the barbaric practice of lobotomy will finally be put to an end. Edward stepped out of the car and looked above the peaceful blue sky.

It was as if he was freed from all the demons he had in him. For years, Woolbrook was like a second home to him, but later on became the source of his anguish.

 _This is what freedom feels like_ , he thought to himself.

 _Bennett Mansion_

Evelyn received the news that Blue Jones had been finally convicted for the years of sexual abuse that he had inflicted on some long-term patients at Lennox House, and for forging Dr. Gorski's documents more than once. Randy, _that evil bastard_ , Evelyn thought, was found guilty for the murders of her parents and sister. Finally, God gave her the justice she fervently prayed for. She had always suspected that her father's death was unusual. So was her mother's. Jackie... She could not fall back to depression again. Her family's legacy will still be alive through her. The family business will not be put to waste, as Randy had done so during the days she was incarcerated at Lennox House, mismanaged their properties and stole a lot of money. The damage had been done, and all that she could do was fix whatever she could and salvage what was left. She was barely out of high school though, she still had to complete her senior year.

Evelyn did her best to excel at school, dismissing the looks of pity and curiosity that never failed to leave other students' or teachers' eyes as they passed by her in the halls. She had to be strong. She had not done everything that she did at Lennox House just so she'd get out weak and far too damaged to get back on her feet. No, she'd prove to everyone that she was capable of standing up again.

She still went to see Dr. Gorski for therapy once or twice a week, and noted of the progress that she had made. The nightmares haven't stopped completely, and she knew that she still had years ahead of her to remain with that. But, she did not wake up screaming and sweating in the middle of the night, at least not that frequently anymore.


End file.
